US7629602B2 - Apparatus and method for detecting overlapping flat objects with a doubles detector and electronic images of first and second flat sides of an object - Google Patents

Apparatus and method for detecting overlapping flat objects with a doubles detector and electronic images of first and second flat sides of an object Download PDF

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Publication number
US7629602B2
US7629602B2 US12/082,101 US8210108A US7629602B2 US 7629602 B2 US7629602 B2 US 7629602B2 US 8210108 A US8210108 A US 8210108A US 7629602 B2 US7629602 B2 US 7629602B2
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United States
Prior art keywords
feature
imaging unit
facility
objects
flat
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Expired - Fee Related
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US12/082,101
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US20090121163A1 (en
Inventor
Georg Kinnemann
Svetlozar Delianski
Andre Rompe
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Siemens AG
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Siemens AG
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Assigned to SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT reassignment SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: DELIANSKI, SVETLOZAR, KINNEMANN, GEORG, ROMPE, ANDRE
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H7/00—Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles
    • B65H7/02—Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors
    • B65H7/06—Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed
    • B65H7/12—Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed responsive to double feed or separation
    • B65H7/125—Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed responsive to double feed or separation sensing the double feed or separation without contacting the articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/30—Orientation, displacement, position of the handled material
    • B65H2301/32—Orientation of handled material
    • B65H2301/321—Standing on edge
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/40—Identification
    • B65H2511/413—Identification of image
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/50—Occurence
    • B65H2511/52—Defective operating conditions
    • B65H2511/524—Multiple articles, e.g. double feed
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2553/00—Sensing or detecting means
    • B65H2553/40—Sensing or detecting means using optical, e.g. photographic, elements
    • B65H2553/42—Cameras
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
    • B65H2701/11—Dimensional aspect of article or web
    • B65H2701/112—Section geometry
    • B65H2701/1121—Section geometry shape
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
    • B65H2701/13—Parts concerned of the handled material
    • B65H2701/131—Edges
    • B65H2701/1315—Edges side edges, i.e. regarded in context of transport
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
    • B65H2701/13—Parts concerned of the handled material
    • B65H2701/132—Side portions

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an apparatus and method for detecting overlapping objects, in particular mail items.
  • mail items in particular letters
  • a light source of a detector is used to illuminate the underside of the mail item once it has been drawn down and to produce an image of this.
  • the image is used to check whether the mail item has a single edge or a number of edges, in order to decide whether there is a single mail item or a number of, for example, adhering mail items, hereinafter referred to as a double withdrawal, since individual mail items normally only have a single edge.
  • a separated mail item has a number of mail items, it is not always an erroneous double withdrawal, but may be, for example, a reply slip to be attached to a mail item.
  • a single mail item may have peripheral lines so that the image appears to show a number of edges.
  • the known separation methods therefore have the disadvantage that it cannot always be reliably decided whether there is a single mail item or a number of mail items, which have been withdrawn from the stack as a double withdrawal.
  • one aspect involves an apparatus for detecting overlapping flat objects, wherein each object has flat sides and narrow sides.
  • the apparatus includes a doubles detector configured to derive at least one feature of an object, a first imaging unit configured to produce an electronic image of a first flat side of the object, and a second imaging unit configured to produce an electronic image of a second flat side of the object.
  • a determination facility of the apparatus is coupled to the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit to receive the electronic images, and to derive at least one further feature of the object.
  • a decision facility of the apparatus is coupled to the doubles detector and the determination facility to receive the least one feature and the at least one further feature of the object, and to determine whether the object is a single object or a number of objects.
  • the apparatus provides for separated objects to be passed between two further imaging units, which respectively produce images of the two flat sides, which are used to derive at least one further object feature, which is supplied additionally to the decision facility to increase the reliability of decisions with regard to the presence of a single object or a double withdrawal.
  • object features of the flat sides are also used to make the decision, resulting in a significant increase in the reliability of the resulting decision.
  • the object feature derived using the image of the underside is in one embodiment the number of edges.
  • the object features of the flat sides derived using the images from the two further imaging units are the extension in the transport direction, the height, the number of corners of the contour and/or a list of distinguishable objects with defaults in respect of shape and size from a minimum size, such as lines, rectangles, triangles, franking features, their color distribution and position, with these being supplied alone or in combination as a set of object features to the decision facility.
  • One technically simple realization consists of the decision facility being embodied as a program running in a processor.
  • the imaging units are electronic color cameras in each instance.
  • Another aspect involves a method of detecting overlapping flat objects, in which at least one feature of an object is derived using a doubles detector.
  • An electronic image of a first flat side of the object is produced using a first imaging unit, and an electronic image of a second flat side of the object is produced using a second imaging unit.
  • At least one further feature of the object is derived using a determination facility configured to process the electronic images.
  • the least one feature and the at least one further feature of the object processed using a decision facility to determine whether the object is a single object or a number of objects.
  • the method provides for images of the two flat sides to be produced additionally and to be used to derive at least one further object feature, which is used additionally to qualify the decision, in order to increase the reliability of the decision with regard to the presence of a single object or a double withdrawal.
  • FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a detector for identifying double withdrawals
  • FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary arrangement of the detector for identifying double withdrawals along a transport path
  • FIG. 3 shows a time schedule for identifying a double withdrawal using its object features.
  • FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a detector for double withdrawals in a sorting unit for mail items in the form of specific flat objects, in particular letters, maintained in form of stacks and drawn individually from a stack by means of a separating facility, so that they can then be supplied immediately to a facility for further transportation.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary arrangement of the detector for identifying double withdrawals along a transport path.
  • the double withdrawal detector 1 is arranged downstream following the separating facility and includes a light source (not shown in more detail), which illuminates the flat sides of a separated mail item 16 transported upright along a transport path 20 .
  • the double withdrawal detector 1 includes two color cameras 2 , 3 as imaging units to produce electronic images of the two flat sides of the separated mail item 16 .
  • the mail item 16 passes between the two color cameras 2 , 3 .
  • a determination facility 4 is coupled to the cameras 2 , 3 and serves to define object features processing the electronic images from the two cameras 2 , 3 . From the electronic images of the object's flat sides the extension in the transport direction, the height, the number of corners of the contour and a list of distinguishable objects with defaults in respect of shape and size from a minimum size, such as lines, rectangles, triangles, franking features, color distribution and position are taken as object features. It is contemplated that further object features can be acquired and determined, as required.
  • the object features are supplied to a decision facility 7 , for example, as a set of object features, as shown by an arrow 6 .
  • the decision facility 7 is configured as processor running a suitable program.
  • a trigger signal 5 serves to synchronize within the determination facility 4 data transmitted by the cameras 2 , 3 with the run of mail items.
  • the decision facility 7 is further coupled to a doubles detector 8 to receive basic object features.
  • the doubles detector 8 is positioned below and with its field of vision perpendicular to the path 20 of a stream of separated mail items 16 to be checked for overlapping pieces.
  • a window 17 within the path 20 allows the doubles detector 8 to observe a lower edge of the mail item 16 .
  • the doubles detector 8 is a detector known from and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,610, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
  • the doubles detector 8 is configured to illuminate the lower edge of the mail item 16 and to generate an image of the edge.
  • the image of the edge is used in each instance to determine the number of edges as an object feature of the mail item 16 .
  • a trigger signal 9 of the doubles detector 8 serves to synchronize the passing mail items with the acquired object features. Transmission of the object features to the decision facility 7 is shown by an arrow 10 in FIG. 1 .
  • the decision facility 7 processes the respectively determined object features to make a double withdrawal decision 11 , specifically whether the separated mail item 16 is a single mail item or a double withdrawal (a number of mail items attached to each other), which have for example continued to adhere to each other in an unwanted manner on withdrawal. For example, it is a single mail item if two edges are determined but one of the two flat sides clearly has the color and shape of a reply card.
  • a machine controller 12 controls the facility for further transportation of the mail items in such a manner that all mail items that have not been identified as single mail items are ejected.
  • the distance covered by the mail items is determined by the distance clock 13 and allows determination of the position of the mail items within the transport system.
  • FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the temporal profile of the acquisition of object features during transportation of the mail items.
  • FIG. 3 therefore shows the start t 1 of scanning of the flat sides of the mail items, as controlled by the trigger facility 14 .
  • the object features of this mail item are determined and therefore available.
  • the mail item reaches the doubles detector light barrier 15 , which controls the scanning of the lower edges in the doubles detector 8 .
  • the features of the lower edges e.g. their number
  • the object features of the flat sides are supplied to the decision facility 7 and at time t 5 the result is available to the decision facility 7 as the double withdrawal decision 11 .
  • the arrangement of the two components can also be changed, resulting in a correspondingly different time sequence.

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  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
  • Image Analysis (AREA)
US12/082,101 2005-10-12 2008-04-08 Apparatus and method for detecting overlapping flat objects with a doubles detector and electronic images of first and second flat sides of an object Expired - Fee Related US7629602B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102005049558.3 2005-10-12
DE102005049558 2005-10-12
PCT/EP2006/007476 WO2007042093A1 (de) 2005-10-12 2006-07-28 Vorrichtung und verfahren zum sortieren von flachen objekten, insbesondere postsendungen in form von briefen

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/EP2006/007476 Continuation-In-Part WO2007042093A1 (de) 2005-10-12 2006-07-28 Vorrichtung und verfahren zum sortieren von flachen objekten, insbesondere postsendungen in form von briefen

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US20090121163A1 US20090121163A1 (en) 2009-05-14
US7629602B2 true US7629602B2 (en) 2009-12-08

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US (1) US7629602B2 (de)
DE (1) DE112006002701A5 (de)
WO (1) WO2007042093A1 (de)

Families Citing this family (4)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2741455A1 (de) * 2012-11-13 2014-06-11 Top Image Systems Ltd. Verfahren und System zur Klassifizierung, Verarbeitung und/oder Erzeugung automatischer Antworten auf Postsendungen
CN105069901B (zh) * 2015-09-17 2017-10-31 广州广电运通金融电子股份有限公司 一种票据重张检测方法和装置
EP3426416B1 (de) * 2016-04-28 2019-12-25 Tritek Technologies, Inc. System zur vereinzelung von postsendungen
CN107067540B (zh) * 2017-03-21 2019-07-09 深圳怡化电脑股份有限公司 一种纸张重张的检测方法及装置

Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2546083A1 (fr) 1983-05-20 1984-11-23 Hotchkiss Brandt Sogeme Dispositif de detection de prises multiples d'objets
DE8915957U1 (de) 1989-01-16 1992-06-04 Automatic-Systeme Roland Dreher GmbH, 7247 Sulz Vorrichtung zum Erkennen von Doppelteilen
US5534690A (en) 1995-01-19 1996-07-09 Goldenberg; Lior Methods and apparatus for counting thin stacked objects
EP0764476A1 (de) 1992-04-06 1997-03-26 Electrocom Automation L.P. Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Erfassung einander überlappender Produkte in einem vereinzelten Produktstrom
DE19625043C1 (de) 1996-06-22 1997-04-10 Aeg Electrocom Gmbh Verfahren zur Ermittlung von Überlappungen
US20030091236A1 (en) 2001-11-14 2003-05-15 Omron Canada Inc. Method and system for double feed detection
DE10233052A1 (de) 2002-07-19 2004-02-05 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Erkennung von Mehrfachabzügen
US6817610B2 (en) 2001-12-03 2004-11-16 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Multiples detect apparatus and method
US20050105766A1 (en) 2002-06-26 2005-05-19 Etienne Fesquet Method for detecting single postal covers and postal covers stuck together in a mail sorting machine
WO2006016186A1 (en) 2004-08-12 2006-02-16 Wessex Technology Opto-Electronic Products Ltd Method for double feed detection
US7280797B2 (en) * 2001-12-26 2007-10-09 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus with paper thickness detection unit for detecting overlap of regular and insertion sheets

Patent Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2546083A1 (fr) 1983-05-20 1984-11-23 Hotchkiss Brandt Sogeme Dispositif de detection de prises multiples d'objets
DE8915957U1 (de) 1989-01-16 1992-06-04 Automatic-Systeme Roland Dreher GmbH, 7247 Sulz Vorrichtung zum Erkennen von Doppelteilen
EP0764476A1 (de) 1992-04-06 1997-03-26 Electrocom Automation L.P. Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Erfassung einander überlappender Produkte in einem vereinzelten Produktstrom
US5534690A (en) 1995-01-19 1996-07-09 Goldenberg; Lior Methods and apparatus for counting thin stacked objects
DE19625043C1 (de) 1996-06-22 1997-04-10 Aeg Electrocom Gmbh Verfahren zur Ermittlung von Überlappungen
US20030091236A1 (en) 2001-11-14 2003-05-15 Omron Canada Inc. Method and system for double feed detection
US6817610B2 (en) 2001-12-03 2004-11-16 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Multiples detect apparatus and method
US7280797B2 (en) * 2001-12-26 2007-10-09 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus with paper thickness detection unit for detecting overlap of regular and insertion sheets
US20050105766A1 (en) 2002-06-26 2005-05-19 Etienne Fesquet Method for detecting single postal covers and postal covers stuck together in a mail sorting machine
DE10233052A1 (de) 2002-07-19 2004-02-05 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Erkennung von Mehrfachabzügen
WO2006016186A1 (en) 2004-08-12 2006-02-16 Wessex Technology Opto-Electronic Products Ltd Method for double feed detection

Non-Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
Derwent Abstract-DE 102 33 052 A1; Feb. 05, 2004; Giesecke & Devrient GmbH, D-81677 Munich, Germany.
Derwent Abstract-DE 196 25 043 C1; Apr. 10, 1997; AEG Electrocom GmbH, D-78467 Konstanz, Germany.
Derwent Abstract-FR 2 546 083 A1; Nov. 23, 1984; Hotchkiss-Brandt Sogeme HBS, France.

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US20090121163A1 (en) 2009-05-14
WO2007042093A1 (de) 2007-04-19
DE112006002701A5 (de) 2008-11-20

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